where do we go from here 16: yin and yang
by zantha19
Summary: Toph has some news for Aang, that is going to change everthing. Everthing starts of well, but fears from the past will come back to haunt Toph. Will they ruin everthing for them. now being rewritten.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, thank you for reading. I hope that you will like this new part of the story. Sorry it took me so long to up-date. I have had a lot of work to get done for school. I have a little break now, before the exams start. As always I think by this point you will need to have read the other parts before this one for some parts to make sense, but if you haven't or don't want to, then you can ask me any questions you want about what has happened and I will do my best to answer you.**

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"Lord Sho is of noble birth, he is the best choice."

"Why, General Kiba has earned his title."

"That only means that he has not learned the responsibilities that his title entails."

This argument had been going on for hours now. The same points were brought up at least ten times, each time it would be dismissed by an argument that also had been used at least ten times. It seemed that there was no moving forward, neither side was prepared to make any compromise, or even see things from the other side. King Bumi at the ripe old age of one hundred and nineteen had finally decided to retire. The council had been in this meeting for two days now, stopping only in the evening to sleep. Their meals were brought to them on shiny silver trays. Of the sixteen nobles around the table only around four were still talking about the issue, the others were trying not to fall asleep.

"You learn best through experience, not being talked at."

"Is there something you want to say, Lord…."

"No. I simply meat that not all important things in life can be taught, they have to be experienced."

"So we are meant to let General Kiba learn this new role, through making mistakes. Mistakes that will harm a great number of people."

"Enough, lords please stop. We are forgetting…"

"What, the third option."

"Yes, exactly."

"We have been over this she, the Lady Bei Fong….."

"Lady Avatar."

"what!"

"She is the wife of the avatar, that must outrank a title she gets from her father."

"No, Lady Bei Fong is more….."

"This is a stupid argument." The two lords that had been arguing nod in agreement. "And an essily solved one. Avatart.."

Aang, who had been close to sleep, jumped a little as his title was called. "Yes."

"What is the correct title for your wife."

Aang had to fight back the urge to laugh out loud at the utter stupidly of the question he was just asked. Rather than thinking of an answer to the question, he thought of the conversation he and Toph had had that morning. He sat in a chair that he had moved next to the window of their room. He looked out over the city in-front of him. Following one of the many routes he and Bumi had taken on the mail chutes with his eyes. It seemed odd to think that Bumi would no longer be king of this city. It was almost impossible for him to think of either Bumi or the city without thinking of the other as-well. All the people he saw going about their day to day lives had no real idea that in a few hours they could have a new king. Though that was a very optimistic view, if things went the same as the day before.

"It's easy to forget how vast the city is."

He nodded at his wife's comment, as she moved to stand by his chair.

"What are you thinking about."

He let out a sigh, as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down to sit on his knee. "Nothing."

"I may not be able to see your face overreacting to lying, but I can tell by your voice."

A small laugh left his lips. "I was thinking about how different things are going to be."

"Really!" She tilted her upper body round so that she was facing him. "The war is over, Zuko is the fire lord, and married to Katara. They have two children. So do Suki and Sokka. We are married, us! And what you think is going to be so different is Bumi retiring." Aang lowered his head to try and stop himself from really laughing. "Bumi, who you knew over an hundred years ago, and you were a few yeard older than him. That wasn't different to you…."

"I know." He know finally let out a laugh. "It's just, I still think of Bumi as being younger than me, he still is.." He saw Toph's eyes widen a little. "Well technically I am one hundred and twenty."

"Well that's a slight odd rational. Here I was thinking my father didn't want me to marry you because you were already married to your job."

"Well that too."

Her face light up into a wide smile, as did his. When her laughter subsided, she placed her hands on Aang's arms that wrapped around her, and rested her head on top of his. "Change can be a good thing." She spoke in low voice.

"Well I can think of one good change." He whispered into her, before giving her a kiss on the check. "So, I told you. You tell me, what were you thinking about."

Toph pulled her head from his. "Honestly nothing."

"Don't think you can lie to me, you taught me to well." She continued to keep her head turned from him. "You were thinking about what it would be like to live here permanently. What it would be like to be Queen of Omashu."

She shook her head. "No, I wasn't."

"Yes you were, I told you, you taught me to well."

"Ok, maybe I was."

"And how did that thought go." She went quiet again. "Toph."

"It was ok."

"Ok, the thought of being Queen, is only ok."

She tried to fight back a smile. "You know I have all that fake, formal stuff."

"Toph…"

She was avoiding the issue, and he needed her to answer him honestly. This was about their future, and he had to know what she was thinking, what she wanted.

"It would never work…."

"I remember you saying that about us."

"The jury is still out on that one." She leaned back further against his chest. "There are so many places we have to be, we can't stay in the one place all the time. That would never work, for us, for anyone."

He leaned back further into the chair. Wrapping his arms tighter around her small waist. "If you wanted…."

"No. I couldn't ask you to do that."

She moved to stand up, but he pulled her closer. "Are you trying to do something nice for me, just to be nice."

"It was bound to happen at some point. Don't be so shocked."

"It is pretty shocking."

"Me being nice."

"No, us."

She nodded in agreement. "I always thought you and Katara would work out."

A little to her surprise he didn't seem to react to this. "Honestly I always thought you would need up with someone much older." Her face scrunched up into a frown. "You did like Sokka, and almost married Zuko."

"Thin ice Twinkle toes." Her words were softened by the curl at the corner of her lips.

"Only because you are, smart and strong willed….."

"Ok, air head you're off the hook.

"I guess you are right, some changes are a good thing."

"Um, but you are older than me. One hundred years older." As she laughed, his eyes widened. This fact had honestly never come to him. While he knew his extended age, he never thought of it in relation in Toph. "Guess you were right after all." Quickly lifting up her arms, she wrapped them around Aang's neck, before touching his lips with her. As she pulled back, a bright smile greeted Aang. "Come on grandpa. Don't want to keep the young men waiting."

Feeling his hold on her waist loosen a little she pulled herself up as she spoke. Just as she was standing, he reached out taking hold of her hand, he gave a sharp tug and she fell back down onto his knee. Her lips crashing into his again. "Grandpa huh." Their foreheads rested against each other, as the laughed under their breath. A few minutes later he left their room to attend the second day of the meeting.

"Avatar."

Aang once again was pulled from his thoughts by his title being called. He looked at the lord , whose name he couldn't remember, who had called to him. He gave a slight nod of his head for him to repeat the question again.

"What is the correct title for your wife."

Aang nodded again, signalling that he had heard the question that time. "Why don't you ask her yourself."

Aang's gazes, and everyone else's around the table went to his right, where Toph was sitting. The lady in question, sat leaning very far back into her chair. Her dress, hair, her whole look, matched her title. That was if you didn't know her, and she didn't talk.

Placing her hands on the arms of her chair, and leaning forwards she answered. "Well, I'm not a fan of either. One refers only to me as my father's daughter, the other that I belong to my husband. I prefer to be judged on my own merits."

"So you want us to refer to you as General Bei Fong." One of the lords that had been quiet for a good few hours butted in.

"You could also call me Toph." He opened his mouth to bite back, but she spoke first. "As for who I think should be king, I would go with General Kiba."

"We want to know if you…"

"No." That was the final word on the matter, so she leaned back into the chair again.

The lords around the table, looked around at each other. They had found themselves back were they started. As they looked around, they caught glimpses out of the windows that ran the entire way alone one wall. It was now almost entirely dark outside. Feeling little point in going on, they called it a day and all got to their feet to leave.

As they walked along the corridor, Toph felt someone she wanted to talk to walking along a corridor close by. Taking hold of Aang's arm she pulled him to a stop. "There's someone I need to talk to, I'll catch up with you in a bit." He nodded and kissed her on the check.

At the end of another corridor, she caught up to him. "We need to talk."

Hearing her voice he turned to face her. "Anything for my favourite best friend's wife."

"Just favourite, not only."

Bumi laughed as she walked down the corridor towards him. "What can I do for you Toph."

She let out a deep breath. "I'm ready."

"Are you sure."

She nodded. "I was going to happen at some point. Why fight it."

Bumi nodded, as his lips curled a little into a smile. He patted her lightly on the shoulder. "I'll set things up."

For the second time she let out a deep breath, as a million thought faced through her head. What had she just done.

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**Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it. I should have the next chapter up in a week or so. Any comments you have to make are very welcome, thanks. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello. Thank you for reading. Sorry to do this, but as this is a rewrite, I had to add this note so the sorry would be up-dated. I plan on having the next real chapter up in about a week. Again sorry, and thank you. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello thank you for reading and reviewing, I hope you are enjoying the story. Sorry it has taken me longer to up-date than I planned. I have had a lot of work to get done and I underestimated how long it was going to take to get done. Anyway onto the responses.**

**Ana. Thank you for the suggestion. There are a few things that I will change, but I can't say what they are. Don't want to spoil anything. I can say that the airbending race will be continued, and there will be more Taang too. Sorry the up-date took so long. **

**Jayleaf1. Happy belated thanksgiving to you too. I don't want to say to much, but I can say that things will work out in the end. The author note was just so the story would come up as being up-dated, as the first chapter was just replaced. It's not really that important.**

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She could feel his chest rising and falling against her back. His right arm draped around her waist, holding her close. When his breath on the back of her neck started to not only tickle her, but annoy her, she carefully lifted his arm off her, and slipped out of the bed. Even for her the stone floor was uncomfortable cold under her feet. On tiptoe as not to make any noise and wake him up, she crossed the room. Walking towards the wardrobe. Which had a squeaky door, so she had to pull it open very slowly. In-front of her, on the back of the wardrobe door on a hook was a white night robe that matched the nightdress she was wearing, and a very dark green long coat, with gold trim detail. Reaching out she pulled the green coat off the hook, buttoned it up and slipped silently out of the room.

The halls of the palace were empty, but she could feel the movement, activity going on in the lower level. After walking down a narrow staircase Toph came out onto an also narrow corridor. Taking a deep breath she walked towards the large doors at the end of the corridor. Standing by the door was an old friend.

"King Bumi." She said with a smile.

"Lady Avatar…or was it Bei fong. I forget what was decided."

"Ether is fine. I would expect a friend to call me Toph thou."

"Are we friends."

"I wouldn't do what I'm about to do for anyone less than a friend." She forced a smile onto her face. "I trust as many as can be here are."

"Yes, it was short notice, but a lot are here."

She nodded, and with another deep breath moved to push the door open. Stepping aside, Bumi walked past her and entered the secret meeting room under the ground. All the members of the order of the white lotus that lived in the earth kingdom were sitting around the large meeting table, as those that called for this meeting finally entered the room. All stood as they walked to stand by the nearest two chairs.

"I'm sure you all know why we have called you here." Bumi began.

"Sorry but I fail to see how who the new king of Omashu is going to be will affect the order."

"It won't." He grinned. "But who will run the order will affect all of us."

All eyes now fell on the silent Toph. "General Iroh asked me to take over his role with the order before he died. I wasn't ready at the time, but I am now."

A silence followed her words as the people gathered around the table looked around at one other. It was no surprise to any of them that she had been Iroh's first choice to replace him. It was also no surprise that she had not taken up the role offered to her. From what was known of her none of what had happened was a surprise. This however was.

An older looking man, with a sour face was the first to speak. "As happy as we are that you have finally chosen to take up the role, I fear it maybe to late." Toph's face screwed up. "You are the wife of the Avatar. It would be….."

"She is also the jade bandit." The voice that spoke these words was harsh and cold. They took great delight in saying them. His dark eyes locked on Toph.

"Those are rumours. We can't…"

"They are not rumours. I am the jade bandit." Before anyone could say anymore she went on. "And the only reason that is was brought up now, is because I help another lord take back what was rightfully his from out esteemed lord here." A smirked crossed her face, as the lord that spoke out against her was silenced for good.

"Who among us can say that we have never broken a rule or law before." Bumi spoke up. "General Iroh himself attacked the city of Ba Sing Se for his brother, we forgave him that."

Once again silence feel over the room. With her hands resting on the table in-front of her, Toph forced herself to speak. She was the one that called for this meeting it was up to her to get it back on course. A part of her, a very large part of her didn't want to be doing this. She felt it was wrong, that she wasn't ready for this that she never would be. Iroh had believed in her, that was what she had to hold onto now. She had always trusted him before, his word would have to be good enough for her now.

"I should have done this a long time ago, I know. I admit I was scared. It is one thing to make choices, but my life at risk. It is another to do it with other people's lives." Her hands had stopped shaking now and she started to feel more comfortable with what she was doing. "I never knew my mother. What I know of her I learned from those in the order. It meant so much to her. I want to be a part of it like she was, feel close to her."

Widening her eyes she fought back the tears that were building up. This was not like her at all, she didn't know why she was reacting like this, were all the words she said had come from, they just came out. Rushing out sully formed, like she had been thinking of them, had them on the tip of her tongue for a long time. She never talked about her mother not even with Aang. Now she knew why, she would react like this. Feel weak and she hated that.

"I'm here to help you. If you don't want that, then that's fine. I have many other things to take up my time."

With a smirk back on her face, she turned to walk away. She made it three steps from the table before someone else spoke. "Please…..sit." The man that spoke gestured with his hand to the chair that Toph had been standing in-front of. Bumi had sunk into his chair, by the time she had reached hers.

The oldest of the three ladies that sat around the table spoke next. As she did her face feel into a smile. "It is nice to see some of your mother in you Toph….we will need a title for you."

"That's not….."Toph was cut off.

"Lady Bei Fong. Like her mother.

"We're not replacing her mother with her. Nor are we replacing Iroh. This is a new age. We have finally caught up with the rest of the world." These words surprisingly came from next to Bumi the oldest person around the table. "Just as Iroh wanted."

"Lady louts."

The title was suggested so quickly, not many could be sure who the one who said it was. It was met with a quiet agreement, and nodded heads. The silence once again fell over the table. With a deep breath Toph felt more confident in the choice she had made.

"Now that that pointless issue has been felt with, may I peace bring up the issue that has brought us all here."

"By all means Lady louts."

The corners of her lips tugged up into a faint smile, for a brief second. "As you know the council here are trying to choose the new king of Omahsu, but are having little luck. A choice must be made at the meeting tomorrow. I need you all to agree on a candidate, so I can bring the orders view to the council. I hope it will help them come to a choice."

"What if it doesn't."

"Well that is the difficult part…"

"You want to start a war."

"Of course she doesn't, she lived through the war as we all did."

"The last years of the war. That is….."

The man was silenced by a large bang. All eyes shot towards Toph, as she pulled herself to her feet, after slamming her hands on the table. "Enough. I have spent the last two days listen to idiots arguing about the same thing over and over again. Can we please not do that." She moved her sightless eyes from one side to the other, giving the impression she was looking them all over. "Now, can we make a decision."

"The most appropriate is General Kiba. How do the council feel about him."

Bumi answered the lords question. "It's split, but not entirely negative."

"He would get my vote." Most everyone around the table nodded in agreement, to varying degrees

"Can we have that as our answer then." Toph asked.

Over the next few minutes everyone around the table, nodded or said yes to her question. Toph's face fell fully into a smile as she sat back into her chair. Her moment of triumph only lasted for a few seconds as she knew what she had to do next.

"I knew you were all smarter than the morons I spent the last two days stuck in a room with. The fact thou remains that they are morons, and if they still cannot…"

"You want to know if we will support our choice with force if needed. To threaten them into agreeing with you."

"Not with me, with us. Also not to make then agree with US. Juts to come to a choice."

The next silence to fall other the room lasted the longest, and had the loudest air of tension. Finally one of the lords who had not spoken yet pulled himself to his feet. "You have our backing Lady Lotus. Do as you see fit." With that he pushed his chair further back, and moved to leave.

Following him the others around the table too soon got to their feet and moved to leave. Leaving Toph and Bumi still sitting at the table. Toph was trying to make sense of what had just happened. "Was that a joke. As I SEE fit."

"I don't think so." Bumi said through a laugh he held back.

She let out a deep breath as she pulled herself to stand up. "Thank you for your help."

"It was my pleasure, Lady Lotus."

"Please don't call me that."

He nodded. "What are you going to tell your husband." When she didn't answer he tried a different tact. "When are you going to tell him."

For the second time in such a short space of time Toph took in a deep breath, as she rested her hand over the large bottom that held her coat together, which rested just on the stomach. "When the time is right." With the she too turned to leave.

Bumi watched her, a mix of happiness and worry on his face.

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**Hope you liked the new chapter. It may be a little longer again before the next up-date. There is still a few pieces of work I have to get down, and I have exams. After that I should be able to up-date a little more often. If anyone is confused by the stuff to do with the order of the white lotus and Iroh, then all of that stuff is in part 6 of the story. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey. So sorry that it has been so long since my last up-date. I have just had a lot of work to get done, but now I'm on holiday so I should be able to up-date more often. Also as this is a rewrite, after the next chapter, then it won't take me that long to write each chapter. What I am saying in a long winded way is that the next chapter should be up before Christmas, and after that I should be up-dating at least once a week. **

**Top. Thank you, glad you like it.**

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She did all the normal things, eat her breakfast after dressing and pulling part of her hair back into a lose bun, but there was something not right. She was keeping something from him. Over the years Aang had learned how to read Toph, and her actions. This was necessary if he wanted to avoid getting a blow to the head or some other such attack from her every day. She was truly as temperamental as her element. That was what let him know that there was something that she was keeping from him. It also this that let him know, warn him that it was best to let her tell him in her own time. Even if anger, and hurt was starting to well up inside him.

They walked in silence to the council meeting. She was picking at her nails as they did. He knew she would be biting them, if she was not being watched by the people that walked past them. Reaching out he took hold of her hand. To his surprise she gave his hand a slight squeeze in return, just before they walked through the large door to the meeting room. It was then closed behind them as they let the others hand go, as they moved to sit in their seats.

Once all were seated the conversation started, picking up right from where it had ended the day before. Toph leaned back in her seat, showing no sign that she was really listening to what was being said. He hands rested on the arms of the chair, where her nails started to dig into the wood of the chair. She felt the eyes of the few people sitting around the large table that had been at the secret meeting only afew hours ago, that knew what she was going to do, burning into her. Willing her to speak, do something.

Pushing all doubt from her head, about the importance of the role she had just taken on, Toph gripped more tightly onto the arms of the chair, and pulled herself to her feet. Forcing her face to become a stone mask, showing no emotion, she spoke.

"This has gone on long enough. It will end now."

"And how do you plan on doing that, my lady." The lord that spoke did so with distain clear in each word.

"The order of the white lotus has chosen to back a candidate."

"And…"

"They will stand by their choice…..and so will others." She took her time over each word, speaking clearly and coldly.

Aang like everyone else in the room was watching Toph, trying to make sense of what was going on. This was clearly what she had been keeping from him. Looking away from her, he leaned back into his chair, as she had been doing. He felt anger rising up in him, drowning out her words. Through all that they had faced, they had always been honest with each other. He believed that that honesty had helped them get to where they were now. For her to go against that, thou he knew she must have her reasons made him feel a little betrayed.

"It that a threat." Toph raised her shoulders in a shrug. "Who are you to threaten us..."

"The Grand master of the order of the white lotus." Before any one could say anything she spoke again. "And as such, I am informing you that the order of the white lotus is backing General Kiba to be King of omashu. We will defend this choice with whatever force is necessary. This is not a threat; we do not want it to come to violence. The choice is yours."

With her head held high, she in once quick mover swept out of the room. The second she passed his chair Aang to pulled himself up and left the room after her. Those left sitting around the table exchanged glances at each other. No one wanted to be the first to speak. Toph stopped a few steps outside the door, as she felt Aang getting closer. His name was on the tip of her tongue as he passed her, speeding up as he did, as not to have to talk to her.

Before she could try and call out his name again, her name was called out from behind her. She was only able to turn half way around, before a hand was placed on her shoulder. "They have not agreed. We have to make planes." She didn't remember nodding or making any sign that she had heard or agreed with Bumi, but she must have done. As he gentle lead her away in the opposite direction to the one Aang had just taken.

Aang returned to his and Toph's room, where he spent the rest of the day. His anger was slowly leaving him. He understood why she would have kept this from him, but he still didn't like it. She was talking about using violence to get her own way, which could if things went very wrong lead to a civil war in the earth kingdom. No matter what it could achieve, there was no excuse for risking that. As the sun began to set, he moved over to the window. Resting his hands on the window sill he looked out into the evening. He could make out a crowd of men just outside of the city walls. It was painfully clear why they were there.

He heard her footsteps as she entered the room. His hands clenched shut, as he did not turn to face her. Toph held her hands in-front of her, as she walked towards him, thinking of what to say. She understood why he was acting like this; she also knew that there was no way to excuse it or really explain it to him. As she passed the table that stood in the middle of the room, bumping into it a little as she did, she noticed something on the lying on the table that was not normally there. Feeling like she had something now to start a conversation with him, she picked up the object from the table.

"This is a very high quality sword."

Slowly he turned to face her. She took a few steps towards him, as she did she also spun, twisted the sword round by her wrist, cutting through the air with loud swiping sounds. As if to prove her point about the quality of the sword. When she was done with her display, she lifted up her left hand and placed the blade on its open palm. Holding the sword at shoulder leave on open palms she took one last step towards him.

"I really wouldn't know."

"Even a monk can see the how fine a weapon such as this is."

"Regardless of its quality, it is still a weapon."

"That is where you are wrong. It is not a weapon, it is a symbol." He rolled his eyes and turned to look away from her. "It is a symbol of the strength and steal that forged the earth kingdom. To be given this sword, the one that was used to build the kingdom is a hug honour."

"I know the important of the sword, why I was given it. I just don't believe in the use of weapons or violence to get what you want."

It was now her turn to roll her eyes, as best as she could. While lowering the sword in her hands a little lower. "To you it is a weapon….."

"To others it is a symbol."

"To others it is a tool of protection. A weapon is only a weapon when it is used against you. Otherwise it is seen as a form of protection." She felt him turn to move away, so spoke more. "Like bending." She waited for him to turn back to face her again before she went on. "Fire bending killed your people, Sokka and Katara's mother and mine. Yet it also helped you end the war, used by you. Just like a sword."

Clenching his mouth he shook his head back and forth as he moved away from her back to the window. "Nothing you say is going to excuse what you have done."

Her head gave a small nod, as she placed the sword back down on the table. "Your right."

He spun round to face her, anger once again showing in his eyes. "Then why…why didn't you tell me."

Of course this was what this was all about. She had taken on a new, huge responsibility that would take up much of her time. That would affect them both, and she had done it without talking to him about it. He had to find out at the same time as everyone else. Thou her other actions she knew also upset him.

"You wouldn't have understood."

"You never gave me the change thou, did you."

"No I didn't." She spoke while moving closer to the table for support. "I am sorry for that, but I had to do what I did."

"You had to risk starting a civil war….."

"No, I had to finally do what Iroh asked of me…..it was the last thing we ever talked about….I let him down…"

"Now to make up for that you are going to let down your kingdom."

"Don't say that. I did the best I could. A choice had to be made. I made sure that is was."

"By threating violence."

"That was not….."

"Weather that is what you wanted or not, that is what happened." He walked past her.

As he did she moved to try and reach out to take hold of his arm, but missed. "Aang…"

"Talking is going to do no good. I think we need time to think."

"What are you going to do Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow."

"That is when this matter will be settled once and for all."

"Waste no time in preparing a fight do you."

"This was not all my doing!" Her voice rose with each word, as her anger finally broke. She knew that she had not handled things in the best way possible. She however did not deserve to be treated like this.

"No, but you let it happen."

"You are a hypocrite."

Her voice was now low and cold. Her words as she knew hit a nerve, hurt him. Silently he closed the door behind him and left her alone. Taking in a deep breath she pushed herself off the table, and pushed her feelings deep down. Moving over to the practically empty wardrobe she pulled out her clothes for the next day. Siting on her now very large seeming bed, she held one of her grandfather's brown leather gauntlets in her hand. Running her fingers over the engraving she remembers when Iroh had given them to her, that same time he had asked her to take on his role in the order. Focusing on that she tried to make herself believe that she had done the right thing, the only thing she could have. That was a hard task.

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**I hope that you liked the new chapter, and as always I would love to hear what you think. Any comments are welcome. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello thank you for reading. I hope that you will like it. I was a little busier than I thought I would be over the holidays. So I apologise for it talking longer to up-date. **

**There is a link to the outfit that Toph wears in my profile. It is under the, Where do we go from here section, next to uniform.**

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The sun hung low in the sky, still not yet fully risen to its full height, as the city started to slowly come to life. There was an unnatural amount of activity for this time of day in the city. Men were preparing for battle. A battle that would decide the future of the city, and the earth kingdom. The makeshift camp about a quarter of a mile from the city walls was also slowly springing to life. These men went about their preparations in a far more aggressive fashion than those on the other side of the wall, gathering by the main gate. They had been forced to spend that night driven for their homes as a result of the side they had chosen to fight on.

On the top of the walls Bumi leaned against the battlements. One eyes looked over the city that was being fought over, while the other looked out of the vast land that surrounded the city, down the road that lead to the main door, till it finally rest on what would normally be called the enemy camp. His heart was heavy with the events that he knew were about to unfold. Whatever the outcome of the day was, it would have been his actions that lead to it. His armour to felt heavy, heavier than it had ever felt. It did not feel right, like wearing a thick cloak in the height of summer.

He heard footsteps approaching him from behind, but he did not turn to look. He knew who it was. Someone with a weight pulling them down as strongly as he had. Thou a weight of a very different nature.

"It is almost time."

He nodded as he turned to face the voice. She seemed like she was looking past time, to something far in the distance. Something only she could see. Her hand hung by her sides, two familiar objects on her wrists.

"I trust all is ready." As he spoke he noticed something else familiar that she was wearing, attached to her belt.

Her hand rested on the hilt of the sword she wore as she answered. "As ready as it can be."

"He will not fight."

"Did you really think he would."

He let out a faint sigh. "Not fight, not really." He had expected Aang thou to do something. He had been sure that he would have gotten involved in the situation in some way. He had thought he knew his friend quit well, but he supposed he must have been wrong. He could not understand why he had chosen to stay out of the situation as fully as he had. "I had though he would take some action."

"So did I. Unfortunately we were both wrong."

While she spoke he looked her over. She wore a modified uniform of the city guard, pulled in by a large brown belt. The sword given to her husband, as a symbol of the steel that forged the earth kingdom hung by her side, looking slight comical oversized. She looked smaller than he knew her to be. It seemed almost impossible that this tiny young girl could lead a charge. Of course he knew that she was more than capable of taking care of herself. There was just something about her now that made her look more fragile.

"Have you spoken to him."

He walked towards her now. When he asked his question her eyes widened a little. The tone in his voice made her feel that he was talking about something else. Like he knew something that she didn't or something that she was not willing to talk about. It made her feel a little uncomfortable, so it took her a few seconds to be able to answer.

"Not since last night."

He was not standing by her side, facing the opposite direction. Placing a hand on her shoulder. "We cannot wait."

"Of course." A forced smile crossed her face, as she turned to face the same way as him.

The men that had sided with General Kiba and the order of the white lotus made its way down the long narrow path that lead to the city's main gate. They were led by General Kiba, with Bumi and Toph walking behind him. The line of men was long as the path was so narrow they could only walk two b two. Once they had all made it onto the wide open plan that rested at the bottom of path, they stated to spread out in to a long line. This action was mirrored by the other army as they too moved forward.

The two, rather small when looked at from a high point far away, prepared for the charge. General Kiba moved forward and turned to address the men fighting for him. Lord Shou did the same thing. Each Army gave a loud battle cry as the charged forward.

Toph ran forward, but quickly finding herself falling behind. It took her a few seconds to get her bearings, who she should be fighting and who was on her side. The sound of swords clashing thundered around her, as she moved quickly through the melee. Her goal was to find Lord Shou and put an end to this with as little lives lost and damage done as possible.

After a few minutes she got her first sighting of him. Before she could move forwards she felt movement behind her, and the sound of a blade rushing towards her head. Falling quickly to her knees, she then stretched out her hands, bending an earth spike to hit her attacker in the gut. Normally her next instinct would have been to bend a hug wave of earth to clear the battlefield as fast as possibility. That however was not an option. She would end up hurting those on her side if she did that.

Pulling herself up straight again she moved forwards again. Luckily Lord Shou had not moved for where she had last found him. Pulling up her arm, ready to strike, she didn't notice the movment behind her. A strong hand grabbed hold of her arm before she could raise it fully. She hit against the cold hard metal of a chest plate, as she was pulled back. A sword was placed at her throat.

Her hear raced and her mind went blank, as the sword inched closer to her skin. " WE HAVE WON. STOP NOW."

His voice thundered in her ear, as she tried to turn her head away from him, but he held her tightly in place.

"THE DAY IS OURS. KING SH…"

He was cut short by a sharp pain in his gut. His sword crashed to the ground, as his hold on Toph fell. Truing round to face him as he fell to his knees, He noticed that the point of Toph's sword had broken through the bottom of its holder. It also had turned red, rather than silver.

"You spoke to soon." She leaned in a little closer. "Did you think I gained the title of General for nothing." She pulled back, a cold grin on her face, as he feel to the ground.

The battlefield for a second longer mantianed its unessy silnce. Then in the blink of an eye the sound, movement started again. Not a gradual raising, but a sudden burst of noise and movement, like a lightning strike.

Once again Toph found herself being closed in on by a large group of men that she did not have the time to identify. Moving forward, as quickly as she could she continued towards her objective. When she had a clear position for Lord Shou, she took hold of the hilt of her sword, in case she needed it as she moved forward.

She seemed to be forgotten by the men fighting around her. Walking with her head held high, she moved towards her target. Her free hand opened out so her palm was facing out, lifting it up slightly she got read to pull in back in towards herself. Thereby bending a boulder at Lord Shou.

Before she could do any of this, a sharp pain short across her right arm. Spinning round she pulled out her sword. She knew in the back of her mind how stupid she must look. Holding a sword in her hand, trying to look like she knew what she was doing. Unable to do any of the things that she knew of to get her out of this situation, due to the danger of harming people on her side.

Holding the sword up in-front of her, she swiped it across the air. A throaty laugh greeted her gesture. He moved towards her forcing her to step backwards. Away she swiped the sword through the air in-front of her. This him her gesture was greeted with a faint yell of pain. As the sword cut the man she was fighting's arm.

She smiled, relief clear ion her face. This wasn't able to last for long, as he recovered and pulled his sword back, reading to strike a final blow. Seeing no other way, she dropped the sword. Quickly raising her arms she prepared to end all of his. It had gone on long enough.

The wind rushed past her, forcing her to bend down and slam her hand down onto the earth. Bending a strong hold onto the earth she held on as she felt the air rushing all around her if it hadn't been as strong, she would have been able to smirk as her instincts wanted to.

She could feel the men around her being blown back off their feet into the air, but she remained in place. Rooted to the ground. Like a lighting strike, a soldier, she didn't know what side he was on, hit into her. He in all his armour was to heavier for her to maintain her hold on the earth. She had also been taken by surprise, he came at her from her right.

What felt like a second later she hit the ground, but the air pusher her back. She was turned round in the air, just before she hit the ground for the second time. Once again she was thrown back into the air. This time when she was mere inches from hitting the hard ground for the third time, a strong long arm wrapped around her waist.

Aang pulled Toph into his chest as he too was moved back by the racing air. Shielding her body with his, they hit the ground. Digging his feet into the ground, he pulled himself and Toph to their feet. His arm still wrapped tightly around her waist. With his free hand he bent the air to rest.

In-front of him lay an expanse of men. All trying to pull themselves to their feet.

"This Ends now!" All eyes looked up to him. "General Kiba has more supporters. He is the new King of Omashu. This stupid ends now for good."

Toph had never heard him sound so cold. His hand slipped from around her waist. As she had lifted her hands to hold onto his arm, she felt his hold slipping throw her fingers. He without another word he walked away for the battlefield. Toph stood rooted to the spot, her hands resting on her stomach.

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**Thanks for reading. As I said before as a rewrite the rest of the chapters in the story are already written. They just have to be added to and fixed, which means it won't take as long to get done, as about a third of the chapter is already done to start with. The next chapter therefore will be up in about the next three, four days. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again. This is the part that I have been a little worried about writing. So I hope that it works out okay. Thank you for reading, hope you all had a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Sorry it has taken so long to up-date. I didn't have as much as free time as I thought I would have after all. sorry about that. **

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Over the past year, there had been a lot of unrest in the earth kingdom. Bumi stepping down as king of Omashu had been the catalysts for this unrest. The argument that had broken out about who would replace him was an excuse for people to settle their own persona quarrellers. Whoever would take the throne would unofficially be in control of the north of the earth kingdom. A large, vast area.

Lord Shou's supporters had taken the loss of this power badly; they had planned to start a civil war. In the end the possible civil war had come down to one battle. Aang had wanted to stay out of it, but when he woke up on the morning of the battle to find Toph gone, he found himself reluctantly in the centre of it

Once he had put an end to the fighting, he had simply walked away. Leaving those on the battlefield, including his wife to pick themselves up and move on. He felt over a hundred eyes on him, but did not flinch or cower under such a harsh glare. Toph didn't know how long she stood there, just standing. Not moving till a hand came down on her shoulder. Shrugging it off she walked on, following her husband.

Once they had left the battlefield, the men did so as well. Only three men had been killed. Some say this as great victory; others say it as further proof that it was all a pointless waste of time. They all gathered in the great hall, regardless of which side they had been fighting on. The lords talked more, and things were finally put to rest. Kiba would be crowned king in three day's time.

Aang stood in silence in the corner of the room while all of this was going on. Toph also remained silent and let things play out. When she saw him slip out of the hall, she followed after him. She was not going to let this drag on any longer, they had to talk about what had happened and more.

They entered their room in Omashu, as the sun was beginning to setting. They were both tired, and just wanted to sleep, but there was much to talk about. His name was on the tip of her tongue, but she said nothing. They started to change for bed, leaving her weapons and armour on the floor. She sat on eth edge of the bed, while he pulled back the sheet on the other side.

"Is this going to be the way it is from now on. You not talking to me."

"No."

"So we can talk like adults about what has happened."

"No."

"Is that all you can say."

"No."

Frustrated she turned round to face him. "Damn it Aang. Will you talk to me."

"What do you want me to say. That I understand why you did what you did. How I was worried about you. That you feel guilty about what happened." He saw her turn a little from him. "I can see it in your eyes." He now sat on the bed. "There is nothing to say." Reaching out he places a hand on her cheek, turning it so she was facing him. "We are both tired, let's just sleep."

She nod and they lay in the bed, trying to sleep. They had her back to him, facing the half open window. The night drew in and the room feel into darkness. Thou neither of them had fallen asleep they relaxed into a comfortable silence. Once they were truly comfortable did one of them say anything to shatter the silence.

"Would you change anything."

Toph's voice was calm, and low. Drifting to him over the air. She also sounded uninterested in what she had just asked. Seemingly to no one in particular.

"What." Aang turned round to face his wife.

"It doesn't matter, just go to sleep." As she spoke she didn't turned to face him. Leaving him to stare at her back, silhouetted by the light pouring in from the window.

Rolling back over so he was lying on his back, looking up at the celling, unable to sleep. This was what she wanted, he knew. She was mad at him, so she picked the monument when he was closest to resting to ask him a question, that would keep him from sleeping all night. He was mad at her too, which made this even worse.

A question like that was not really asking what it seemed to. It was really asking if he would rather be married to someone else, probably Katara. At this moment that didn't seem like a bad idea.

He now felt guilty for thinking that. He couldn't imagine what his life would be like without Toph in it. He wouldn't be the same, he knew that. He was just annoyed about how well she could get under his skin. That just showed how well she knew him, which had to be a good thing. Realising that just made him more annoyed, even when he found something about her that annoyed him about her, it could be turned around into a good thing.

She never expected him to be anything other than himself, yet she saw who he could be, and in her own way she made him into the better person she knew he could be. She did this in her own Toph way, pushing him when he needed it, and pulling him back when he needed that.

From the time he saw her in the swamp he heard a voice in his head, whenever he wanted to walk away, or give up. It told him to carry on. It did so with a mocking laugh as well. When he really meet her, and she joined the team he realised it was her voice he had been hearing in his head. It never went away, she was always the voice in his head pushing him to be the person she knew he could be. He came to rely on that.

She never let him lean on her thou. She gave him support, and encouragement Instead. Refusing to stand behind him, as a crutch. Even to stand in-front of him, as a shield. She stood by his side as an equal, able to support and protect if she really had to. She was her own person first, and his wife second.

If she wanted to know if he would change anything, maybe that meant she wanted to change something. What if she did. Maybe she would change being married to him. Their marriage had not been her choice at first, but she had chosen it when a year later offered the choice. Now rather than wanting wrap his arm around her waist, to hold her, too keep her from sleeping too, he wanted to hold her to keep her close. He hated that she made him care about her so much.

She cared about him too, he was sure of that. She had never given up on him, even when he had hurt her. The most fragile thing a person had was their heart, Toph was the most guarded person he knew. So her trusting him with her heart was the most trusting thing she could do. It showed how much she loved him, had faith in him. She gave him control of her heart, Toph who hated being controlled, did this without being asked, and making no acknowledgment of it, because she loved him. He loved her too.

He pulled himself up, and took a minute to look at Toph. Watching her breathing slowying in and out. She looked so peaceful. He leaned down by her ear where he whispered "Nothing."

Toph turned round, and pushed herself up. Making Aang straighten up too, as she moved closer to him as she pulled herself up. They sat facing each other, with the moon shining in from the window, Toph looking tired. "Is that your answer."

Her eyes appeared to be looking in to his. It seemed like she was testing him, but he still didn't know what she was testing him on. "Yes, I wouldn't change a thing. I love you." He moved into kiss her.

Before his lips touched hers, they curled into a slight smile. "Good." They had just pulled apart from the kiss, as she spoke, her voice came out very low.

"Why did you ask." Aang took her hands in his as he spoke, he wanted to know she was ok, that she was happy. The steps in his head that he had got him to this point was still a mystery to him. Even though he had worked through it in his own head.

"I was going to tell you yesterday, but I didn't what to tell you before….everything happened, because I knew it would make you more against me being involved." She was speaking so faced, that was so unlike her.

"Toph, just tell me." His voice was gentle yet stern. He ran his fingers over her hand as he spoke.

"I wanted to know, that you would be happy, before I said anything." He gave a slight nod. She took a deep breath, and finally said it. "I'm pregnant."

"You're pregnant" her voice echoed throughout the room. Toph just nodded, with a slightly suppressed smile on her face. She had had a few days to get her head round the news, she knew Aang would need at least a few seconds to at least begin to get his head around it all.

Aang Quickly move out of the bed pulling his earthbender wife off the bed with him. He wrapped his arms around her thin waist, now aware that his first child was in there, he knew it would not be as tiny for long. He lifted her off the floor, spinning her around. While he smiled broadly. Toph held onto Aang tightly. Her arms wrapped securely around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder.

After the twentieth, or so spin, he lost his footing and fell on to the bed. He landed on top of Toph, he moved to push himself up. Toph realised what he was doing, he was worried about hurting the baby. She took hold of the tag he wore around his neck, engraved with the air nomad symbol. The tag that had belonged to master Gyatso, and pulled it down to bring his face down to her, so she could kiss him.

In that kiss he knew that he wouldn't change a single thing. No one else's would look so beautiful to him in the moonlight, when he pulled back. To see her lying on the white sheets, her black hair standing out. No one else's kiss would have told him so much. I love you, I am happy, it is all going to be ok. No one else would fit perfectly in his arms, and no one else's heart would feel so prefect next to his, beating perfectly in time with each other.

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**Thanks for reading. I hope that you liked it. I should have the next a chapter up in the next few days. I know I have said that in the last few chapters, but this time I do mean it. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello. Thank you for reading. I really hope that you are enjoying the story. I am always interested in what you think, what is working and what is not, so I can fix it and make the story better. So please let me know what you think.**

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"Sokka stop it. Leave Aang alone!"

Toph like the others had found the situation funny at first, but now it was getting annoying. There was only so long you could look onto a funny scene and it would still be funny. All things had a life span, and the scene playing out in-front of them had long since passed its.

It had been almost two months since Toph had told Aang about the baby. This had led them to decide to move to the southern air temple permanently. Aang had been the keenest on the idea; it just made sense for him to raise his family, where he had grown up. He knew Toph wasn't as enthusiastic about the idea as he was, but she went along with it for him. It meant so much to him. Part of this he knew was due to her guilt about not telling him sooner, not to mention putting her and the baby's life at risk by fighting in the battle.

It had taken them all of the almost two months to get the place ready to live in. It had been the last air temple for them to restore, as they had been pulled away when they were going to start working on it four years ago. It was not the place that Aang remembered, but that had little to do with the architecture of the place. He had always heard people say that you can't go home again. He had never understood this. Of course you could go home again. Now he understood it. Home wasn't just a place, land, stone and wood. It was made by the people that you shared it with. All the people he had shared his home with were gone. He was making a new home now.

Their friends had come to see the air temple completed, it was also when Toph and Aang were going to tell them their news. Aang had been a little disappointed when Katara and Zuko had arrived without their new born daughter. He was looking forward to meeting the newest member to their family, and with his first child on the way he wanted to see how he would cope with a baby.

He had expected Sokka and Zuko to be a little annoyed with him, they saw Toph as their little sister, and she was the youngest member of the group. He had not however expected Sokka to start chasing him round the main hall of the newly rebuilt temple.

"I warned you, not for five years at least, you couldn't wait one year."

Sokka was not getting tired, Aang was sure he should have been tiring by now. "Two years, we have been married for two years." Aang corrected him.

"That's not even half of what I said."

"Well done you understand numbers." Another voice added. "Now leave my husband alone, Sokka." Toph was getting very tired of being ignored. "Suki, will you tell your husband to stop chasing my husband around, and threatening him with a boomerang."

Suki lifted her hands up and shrugged. "I am staying out of this."

She then turned her attention to Zuko. "Zuko, please."

Zuko didn't say anything. He silently walked over to the two men that where now running around a pillar, like children. Aang smiled a little as he caught a glimpse of the fire lord walking towards them. He thought he was going to help him, so he ran towards him. When Aang reached him, Zuko quickly pulled him into a headlock. He never saw it coming.

Toph let out a sigh, men where such ideates. She walked towards them, out-stretching her arms. Sokka was frozen mid-run; Zuko was frozen holding Aang in a headlock.

"Ok, I am going to have a baby; I don't what to have to deal with you three like babies as well, and I don't plan on doing it on my own. So I need him alive. I hate using this, so don't make me do it again." she dropped her arms realising the two men.

Aang quickly stood up straight; he was trying very hard not to laugh. The sight of the fire lord being yelled at by a girl, that looked as thin and small as Toph did, was very humorous. When he saw that Zuko noticed he was almost laughing at him, he moved quickly over to Toph, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he tried to stand as casually as he could. Zuko now was trying not to laugh at the Avatar, having to hide behind his wife.

Katara now spoke up, trying to bring about some sense of normality. "So why don't we start the tour." Her voice grow higher with each word she said. She had a forced brood smile on her face, as she walked over to her husband linking her with his.

"Good idea." Suki quickly added. With an equally high voice, as she too made contact with her husband, placing a hand on his back, to keep him under control. When he did things like this it made it very clear were her sons got all of the energy from.

Aang uncomfortably, with two pairs of harsh eyes on him, began the tour of the southern air temple. His new home, where he would raise his family. Both Sokka and Katara had been here before. To them the place was completely different. Back then the feeling of unease and foreboding had been almost over whelming. Even though it was so high up, there had felt like there was airlessness to the place. Now it seemed, not quit alive, but getting there. Parts of the temple were left open planned. This would not be practical in the winter months. It was not likely to be changed however. As this was clearly Toph's idea. She hated feeling trapped behind walls. How she would feel when winter came may be a different thing all together.

After the tour, and a large dinner the group split into two groups. The men stayed at the large table in the dining room, and the women went to a small room, that opened up on to a small garden. It was Toph's room, Aang had kept it a secret from her, it was meant to be like her mother's room at her Father's house. When he had showed it to her for the first time that morning, she had been left speechless.

"I hope they don't start up again." Katara sighed, was worried her husband and brother where going to start acting like children again. This was meant to be a happy and exciting time for Aang. She hated the thought that they with their stupidity might ruin it for him.

"He has to learn to stand up for himself." Toph's laugh gave her away, though she tried to sound harsh.

"Yeah, because you are going to have another baby to look after." Suki was just able to get her words out throw her laughter. Laughter that was interrupted with a loud hiccup. It had been a long time since she had drunk as much wine; she was not used to it anymore.

The girls were laughing so loudly, the guys could hear them all the way down the hall. "I wonder what they are laughing at." Sokka was the first to speak.

"Probably you chasing Aang around with a boomerang." Aang tried really hard not to laugh at Zuko's answer.

"You were just as bad." Sokka leaned back further into his chair, crossing his arms, getting overly defensive. "I am happy for you buddy." He turned to Aang, and offered a small smile, as a sorry.

"I'm happy for you too" Zuko added, not quit looking at Aang.

He wouldn't ever say it, but Aang really wanted Zuko and Sokka's approval. They had been there for Toph, when he wasn't. They had every right to be protective of her. If he could get them to trust him, with her then he would feel like he finally deserved her forgiveness.

"I think I'm going to go to bed." Zuko got up to leave. As much as he loved his baby girl Kya, he was looking forward to an uninterrupted sleep. The tiny girl had a large pair of lungs on her.

Once Zuko left Sokka turned his full attention onto Aang "I'm now going to pass on some of my wisdom." His tone suggested that despite the seemingly uncontrolled movements of his hands, he was being serious. "She is always right, even when she is wrong. She is right."

"You have been married for over six year, have two kids, and that is the best bit of wisdom you have for me." Aang held back a laugh.

Sokka got to his feet, patter Aang on the shoulder. "Trust me." Then continued to leave the room.

Aang did trust Sokka; the problem was that he had figured that piece of wisdom out himself, years ago. He had learned it when he first spent time with Toph, just the two of them four years ago. He too now got to his feet; he was going to see how the girls were doing. In truth he just wanted to see Toph. It was getting a late and he was sure she must be getting tired.

"So how does it feel." Asked Katara, as she moved to place her hand on Toph's still flat stomach.

"Creepy. You're like a sister, but you are too close."

Katara moved a little sulkily back to sit in her chair. "I meant knowing you are going to have a baby."

"Weird." Toph now placed her hand on her stomach. Even that small action felt odd.

Suki now moved closer to the younger women. "It gets worse before it gets better, but it does get better." As she spoke she placed a reassuring hand on Toph's shoulder.

"Aren't you meant to be telling me how wonderfully having a baby is."

"Oh it is. Having a baby is wonderful. Giving birth is not." The normally unfazeable earthbender gave a nod with a stone face. Her eyes gave her away thou.

Aang entered the room with a smile, after having heard most of the end of their conversation. Suki noticed the slight worry in his eyes and started to leave the room "Take care of our girl." She shot Aang a smile as she walked past him.

Katara too took the hint "Congratulations." She pulled Aang into a hug, and kissed his check before she left.

Toph got to her feet, but didn't move towards her husband. The only light in the room came from a number of candles, on the desk placed by the window. The room normally had a large floor space, but at the monument it was taken over by three chairs the girls had brought in. Toph was biting her lip, trying not to laugh; Aang found himself doing the same thing. Toph lasted the longest. Aang finally gave in, and smiled. He held out his right hand for Toph. Once he smiled, so did she. Toph slowly made her way across the room; she took her husband's hand. After he used his free hand to put the candles out, she let him lead her to their bedroom.

As they walked along the corridor, Toph lifted Aang's arm up, and wrapped it around her shoulder, while still holding his hand "So Zuko and Sokka reacted a little worse than we thought."

"A little worse."

"It could have been worse."

"How."

Not having an answer for this she didn't answer. "At least it over now."

Once they reached their room, Toph released Aang's hand. She went to the bathroom that linked to their bedroom, to change. When she was gone Aang dressed for bed, and then sat on the end of the bed, waiting for Toph. A few minutes later she reinterred to the room, now in her white nightdress and the two small braids out of her hair.

"What is the matter." Her voice was dripping with concern. She could tell from his body language that something was bothering him. She walked over to him.

Toph now stood right in front of Aang. "What you said."

"I didn't say anything." Toph was getting confused as well as worried now.

"To Katara and Suki, you said having the baby felt weird." Aang didn't take his eyes off the floor, as he spoke. Once he finished, he noticed Toph's feet come into his line of vision, as she took a step closer to him.

"You are worried because I find the idea of another person growing inside of me weird."

Aang was now feeling a stupid for overreacting. He looked up at his wife, and placed his hands on her waist, pulling her in closer "I know I am being..."

"It is weird. Wonderful weird." Toph placed her hands on the sides of Aang's neck, then pulled him into a kiss. As they kissed Aang pulled her in closer, by wrapping his arms around her small waist.

"Your wonderfully weird" Aang whispered into her ear.

"You're not exactly disappointingly ordinary yourself twinkle toes."

Aang pulled her in for another kiss, as he did he leaned back onto the bed, tacking his wife with him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, sorry it has taken so long for me to up-date once again. I have had a few problems with my computer. It seems to be sorted now so there hopefully should be no more problems. If always seems at work out like that. There is always a problem when I need it to work. Like now when I'm back at school and have work to do.**

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It had been a few days since their friends had left the southern air temple to return to their homes. Katara had given everyone strict orders that they had to come and visit her, Zuko and their new baby daughter Kya in the fire nation, before Toph wasn't able to travel any more. Toph hated being controlled by anyone, told what to do. What made this even worse was that in a way she found that she really didn't mind at all. It was nice to know that she wasn't going to be going through this alone.

Despite this Toph had been finding it hard to really get any sleep; she noticed she had started to have real problems sleeping once she and Aang had moved to the southern air temple. Once she did finally get to sleep, it never lasted for long. She kept having the same dream every night that would wake her from her sleep and she would be left unable to return to sleep after that.

_She was walking along a long corridor, there where large pillars of stone on either side of her. The ceiling was so high, that she couldn't feel it clearly. It felt like it went on forever. The whole place felt like that. As if she could walk for years in any direction around her and not find the end to this place. Despite the vastness of the place, she still felt boxed in, trapped. The air seemed thin around her. _

_She was bare foot, something she never really did now. As she kept walking, for what felt like days, she felt her legs start to give out from under her. Everything started to become fuzzy; the pillars danced around her. She started to lose her balance. Nausea started to grow in the pit of her stomach. _

_The shock of her body hitting the stone floor didn't help to clear her mind. To Toph it felt like the world was closing in around her more fully now, as her sight began to fade. The vibration of the earth around her quietened till she no longer heard them. Her world was following into darkness. _

_Just as everything was about to turn into complete darkness, she heard a faint low voice. _

_It was a familiar voice, but she could not remember who it was, nor could she understand what it was saying. Straining herself she tried to hear what it was saying. A powerful need to hear it, understand came over her like the crash of a wave. With what little energy she had left, she pushed herself up onto her knees. Her head was spinning. Just then the vice stopped. After a second of silence she heard laughing. It was much clearer and louder than the voice had been. _

_As the laughter became fainter she slowly got to her feet. The need to hear the voice had now grown into a powerful desire to find the source. Knowing somehow that b finding that she would find her way out. As well as something that she unconsciously was searching for. After inhaling a deep breath, she ran straight head to where the laughing she thought the laugh was coming from, as fast as she could._

_She started to tier rather quickly. Forcing her to stopped for a second. When she tried to move again she found that she couldn't. Before she find our why this was, the laughter turned suddenly to crying. A painful low sobbing. That seemed to grow with despair. _

_The louder the crying became, the more a pain built up inside Toph. Her heart ached to move, to find the person that was crying, and to make it better. A feeling that she was not overly familiar with. It seemed odd to her, but never the less just as powerful. _

_After a few seconds of being unable to move, do anything. Toph herself began to cry. Hating herself for this show of weakness, she clenched her hands. Ready to hit out at the earth, her friend that kept her from moving. As her hands moved down to hit the earth, then the ground beneath her disappeared. _

_As she started to fall, seeing nothing, the crying got quieter. _

"Ah." Toph shot up, to a sitting position in the bed.

Aang woken by her scream quickly sat up next to her. "Toph what is it, what's wrong." He wrapped his arms around her, and started to rub her back, as he spoke. She was shacking under his hold. He watched her chest rising and falling rapidly in the faint night light.

"Nothing." Her voice was very low, even for how close they were.

"This is not nothing, your shacking." Aang had been aware of Toph's dreams, and problems sleeping, but he had never seen her like this. It was not just her that he was worried about. There was a baby to think of now to.

"It was just a bad dream." As she spoke she moved them both back to lie back down on the bed, facing the stone ceiling.

Aang hated feeling helpless, almost as much as his wife. Which was a lot. He knew that there was something she wasn't telling him. So that meant that there was nothing he could really do to help her. Until she let him in. that could be a long time.

"It's this place isn't it." He whispered into her ear.

"No." She quickly answered. "I like it here, and it means a lot to you..."

"But you're not happy here." His voice was gentle and leading. As he tried to get her to tell him what was really troubling her.

"I will be. I just need time."

"You need a break."

"What do you call this." They both let out a small laugh.

Moving hi head to closer to her, he went on. "Why don't why go and visit Zuko and Katara now, we still haven't seen Kya. We were going to go at some point, so why not now" As he spoke he took hold of Toph's right hand, with his left hand, that was under her neck.

"That would be nice." Toph began to play with Aang's hand, as she answered in a low voice. It had a faraway tone, like she was thinking of something else.

"It's decided then. We'll leave tomorrow after we have packed." She gave a faint nod, then he kissed her cheek. "You're not going to get to sleep again, so I will stay up with you."

Toph was about to tell him he didn't have to do that, when he continued "There's no point in me trying any way. You will just keep me awoke with your tossing and turning."

With a look of mock hurt in her face, Toph lightly hit he's arm. "And your shoring doesn't keep me awake."

"I don't snore" she shook her head. "It's Appa. You can hear him…"

"Of course it is." She now leaned in closer to whispers in his ear. "I didn't think you had any complaints about sharing a bed with me." She smirked as she pulled her face away from him a little. He knew that she was doing this to change the subject. Normally he would bring this up, but as he was also now trying to steer the conversation in a way he wanted.

"It also gives us a chance to talk about names" He said as he pulled her back towards him.

"I'm guessing this means you have an idea." Toph did her best to sound annoyed and surprised, but it didn't work.

"Well." Aang had an idea, in fact he had been thinking about this form the second she told him about the baby, but he wasn't sure how Toph was going to take it "If it is a boy Yang and if it's a girl Yin."

Toph figured out what Aang was hinting at. "That sounds fine, but if we only have one, then it is going to seem odd." She said in a flat tone, like she was thinking it all through in her head working it out piece by piece. "So we would need to have two, a girl and a boy."

"If that is what you think then..." Before he could finish, Toph tilted her head to kiss him.

"You need to learn when to quit."

As Toph lay in her husband's arms, she still couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. It had felt her as the spoke, he had a way of making her forget about that bad stuff. Of course that could only last for ever. Everything should be wonderful right now, but it wasn't. A part of Toph hated herself for feeling like this. She was just going to have to put a brave face on, and hope for the best.

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**Thank you for reading. I hope that you liked it and also like the story over all. As always I would love to know what you think, good or bad. I hope to up-date again soon in the next few days. If things go well I would hope to maybe get this part of the story finished by the end of this month, early next month at the latest. **

**Also sorry that is was a little short.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you for reading. I am sorry that t has once again taken so long to up-date. I really do plan update sooner, but things happen and I end up taking longer. **

**Kvazq598: Thanks for the review. I'm really glad that you like it. The part that Yunru is in was added into this rewrite of the story, so I hadn't really thought of what to do with him after that. I have an idea of how to work him in in this pat, but only in a small way, which helps solve a problem that I have later on. After that I don't know, if you have any is I would love to hear them.**

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"Do you what to hold her now." Aang turned to face his wife, with baby Kya in his arms. A huge grin on his face.

Toph hadn't really been paying attention to what was going on around her. She was to lost in her own thoughts. "What. Sorry."

"He asked if you wanted to hold your nice now." Katara said with a smile. The waterbending, fire lady had been a little worried about her eatherbender friend, since she and Aang arrived in the fire nation. She just didn't seem herself. It was like she wasn't really there.

Toph and Aang weren't really baby Kya's aunt and uncle, but Aang and become part of Katara and Sokka's family since they first meet almost eight years ago. Toph was taken into Zuko's family after the war, so they were I their own way, all a family. When Toph and Aang got married it had brought the family together fully. Not that they would really say so, but despite having such an odd family, having a small sense of normality to it, was a comfort. It meant that they would always be linked to each other.

"I'm actually a little tired, I think I'm going to go and get some sleep."

Baby Kya started to cry a little in the avatars arms. Katara seeing the look of fear growing on Aang's face took her back into her motherly hold. "Looks like you're not the only one that's tired." She said in a cooing voice. Her eye locked on her baby daughter, as she walked towards the door.

Once Katara left them Toph got to her feet to leave as-well. Aang wrapped his arms around Toph's waist, as she walked past him sitting on the side of the couch closest to the door. He very gently pulled her down to sit on his lap "Are you sure you're ok."

Toph to pacify Aang kissed him "I'm just tired." She then rested her head on the top of his.

"If you're sure, then I better go see Zuko. I promised I would be there for his meeting." The tone in his voice let Toph know he really didn't what to go to the meeting, and wanted her sympathy. For her to ask him to stay, say he didn't really have to go. Taking care of his pregnant wife was more important than any meeting. He knew thou that she would say none of this.

"You're not getting any sympathy from me. I have been going to those ridicules, boring meetings for years, it's your turn." With that she pulled herself free, form her husband's arms, and left. Her head held high. Like she had one some sort of mar victory.

She was truly really very tired, but Toph knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep if she tried. It was more than that normally tiredness that she had expected from her condition. It seemed to be a deep tiredness of her mind as-well. From the moment she and Aang arrived, and met baby Kya, all she had wanted to do was runway. For the fast four weeks the whole idea of having a baby, being a mother had seemed so far way. There had been other more urgent things she had to deal with. Now it seemed so real. Like a huge weight of pressure, expectations pressing down on her.

The room Toph and Aang had been put in had a large window seat that gave a view out onto the cherry blossom tree in the garden that Toph had planted and helped to grow. She sat on the window seat, as there was no point trying to sleep. The window as she always kept it, was opened slightly. Letting a cool breeze into the room. As the air washed over her, as she took hold of the pendent on her necklace, the one she always wore, because it used to belong to her birth mother.

She found herself wondering what her mother would say to her, if she was here. Would she be happy, or worried about being a grandmother. Would she like Aang. Most of all she wanted someone to tell her how to be a mother. A third of her time was taken up with teaching her students, at the earthbending academy the earth king had been so insistent on her starting. Just because she sent a large part of her time with young children, didn't mean she had any idea how to raise a child.

At this monument more so than at any other, she wished her mother was with her.

"I brought you an extra blanket, in case you were cold." A soft voice aid, filing the room. "I was worried about waking you, but as you're not sleeping." As she spoke Urse made her way over to sit next to Toph.

"I couldn't sleep." Toph avoided looking at Urse. Worried that her face would give her away. Urse however got a good look at Toph, she saw how dark her eyes looked now, compared with the last time she saw them. The dark circles under her eyes, also stood out strongly against her very pale skin.

"You haven't been able to sleep for a long time, have you." Toph didn't answer. "Your mother had the same problem." Now Urse saw Toph's eyes begin to water, she tried to hide it. Placing a hand on the younger woman's shoulder, she offered as much comfort and she knew would be accepted. "She would be so happy to be a grandmother….thou I think he would feel she was to young." Toph despite herself smiled a light. Urse thought she was think she was also to young to be a mother.

"What if I end up like her."

Both women were surprised by what Toph had said. Her voice had come out suddenly, and just above a whisper. It was then that it hit Toph, what she was really afraid of. She was afraid that the injure she had sustained three years ago, when she had been stabbed in the abdomen, might cause problems during the pregnancy. What if she wasn't strong enough to have the child, and died. She never wanted anyone to go throw what she went throw with her mother. Finding out about her years later, when there was no way to know her

Urse quickly pulled the younger women into a hug. She couldn't think of a single thing to say to her. What was there to say to that. Nothing was going to make her forget about what was worrying her. It was deep rooted into her. Stroking the back on her head, the former fire lady couldn't help but wish that she could have done this with her own daughter.

Toph hated herself for being weak. She had never let anything stop her from doing what she believed was right, or what she wanted to do. Sometimes if felt like her body let her down. It didn't let her see, and now it might not be strong enough to do something that was so easy for so many other women. Such a nature part of life.

The only thing she remembered clearly about her grandfather, was the he smelt like leather, she could still smell him on his brown leather gauntlets Iroh had given her. She also remembered him telling her, that her heart was too big for her body. Maybe that was part of the problem, she had too much, energy, anger, determination for her body to cope with. That was why it let her down so much.

"Nothing I could say now is going to make a difference." She spoke into her ear, as she gently pulled back. So she could see her face. " Your mother didn't think she could be a mother to you, I worried about if I could do I too. Everyone does." Lifting her hand she wiped away the small tear that was about to fall down her face. "But she loved you, she always loved you. You love your child already that is all that matters."

Toph pulled away from the hug a little more. "I think I will try and sleep now." She stood up, and made her way to the bed. Urse was forced to her feet to and made her way to the door.

She lay curled up on the bed for the rest of the day. Aang after a little while came up to see if she wanted to come down for dinner. Toph tightly closed her eyes and didn't move. She let him think she was asleep. Rather than leaving as she hoped, Aang walked further into the room and lay on the bed next to her. He lay behind her, wrapped his arm around her waist, resting his hand on her still very flat stomach.

Toph bit her lip trying to hold back the tears, that had suddenly built u behind her closed eyes. Clenching them shut tight she willed them not to open and for the tears to fall. Her right hand badly wanted to move to rest on top of Aang's hand, that rested on her stomach. It stayed in place thou, instead gripping hold of the bed sheet. Why was all of this so hard. Aang was so happy, she wished she could be happy like him. Everyone else seemed to have found this so hard. Their hearts beat in time with each other, they were happy when the other was happy, so in time his happiness would rub off on her. She had to keep telling herself that.

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**Thank you once again for reading. I hope that you liked it. As always I would love to hear what you think, and any ideas that you may have. I promise that I will try and up-date sooner. I still plan to have this **part** of the story finished by the end of next month. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you for reading. I hope that you are still enjoying the story. For those of you that have read the story before, then I think you know what may be coming up next I just wanted to say that I have made some changes. I don't want to say if there are big or small, but there are changes. I also wanted to say that even if you don't like it, that you will keep reading. As things do get better. Again I don't want to give to much away may saying if it will be a happy ending in the end or not, but it to will change**

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After a few days in the cooped up inside the fire nation palace, Toph finally left its walls. It was due to tiredness and bad morning sickness that she had spent so long surrounded by four walls. Nothing else other than an inability to move far would keep her locked inside it was knowing this fact that worried her husband and friends. She only went now to walk around the market, because she knew no one else would be able to go with her. Aang and Zuko had work to do, and Katara a new baby to take care of. This gave her the welcome knowledge that if she changed her mind and wanted to return after only a few minutes, no one would know and fuss more over her. She felt that everyone seemed to be watching her. She knew they were only acting like this because they cared about her, that didn't make it any less annoying.

The market was quit quiets. The evening was starting to draw in, most people had returned to their homes. Toph had chosen this time to go out, knowing that it would be quieter. Despite an old grey cloak that she wore pulled a little over her face, she still knew that she was recognised by some of the people she passed.

Growing tired, and a little uncomfortable with the cloak in the warm weather, she started to make her way back to that palace. Hoping that she would return before anyone had missed her. Now having left the main area of the market, and walking by houses, she suddenly noticed the air change behind her; something was coming towards the back of her head, a rock. In once quick move she turned round, shot her right hand out in front of her. The rock exploded in little pieces

The dark grey clock wear wore, of course covered her eyes, not that she needed them. It was meant to keep her identity hidden, but as her eyes where covered, and she was able to stop the rock, so quickly it got her a lot of attention from the few remaining people still walking around the market or heading home. Pulling the hood down all the more she ducked quickly into a side street. Speeding up to move on. Now taking the long way back.

When she was a good way along the street, a sudden force hit her. Someone lunged at her from the left, knocking her to the ground. They quickly pulled her hands behind her back, were they tied them together tightly. With her arms bound, Toph was unable to bend or put up much of a fight. In one quick move she was picked up and dragged through a nearby door off the side street. They entered an empty room, with stone walls and floor.

"I thought you would be more of a challenge." Toph was pushed harshly into a wall. When she tried to move forward to get away a sword was placed at the throat. Toph had leader from her past experience with swords, to be more careful. So she waited and listened, for the right moment.

"I would be if you played fair." She spun round, getting out of the way of the blade, then kicked out with her right leg, sending the man backwards.

She should have run right then, made a break for it when she had the chance, but she was too angry to think clearly and rationally. She wanted to crush this man's chest, so his heart broke in to light pieces. All of her angry, and frustration that had been building up inside of her for a little over a month, was now focused solely on this man. He was in a lot of danger. Bending one of bangles she was wearing into a dagger, she cut through the robe as quickly as she could. The man got to his feet. He still held his sword in his hand, but he was only holding onto it. Not let moving to strike

"That more a challenge for you." In a flash she moved towards him, punching him with all the energy she had left.

Toph then straitened her right arm out, as she did the dust from the ground lifted up into the air. As she bent it around the man, forming a rope made of dust. Keeping her arm straight, Toph walked towards the man. She placed her makeshift dagger, which she still held in her left hand to his throat.

H spat at her "Go ahead, it won't matter if you kill me. You will still die." There was a look of fear in his eyes that Toph missed, but she didn't miss that he was telling the truth, partly.

"What do you mean." Pushing the dagger closer as she spoke through gritted teeth.

The man looked her right in the eyes, as he answered her. "I am not the only person that wants you died. There is a group of us."

"Why." Her voice surprisingly came out showing no emotion what so ever despite the situation.

"I knew you were nothing like the legends. In the end you would care about saving your own life above everything."

That pushed Toph over the edge. She dropped the hand that held the dagger, and pulled the other up in-front of her. Her fingers clenched shut. The dust rope fell to ground in millions of little specks, like it had never been there, but the man still could not move.

"Is this more like the legends." The man struggled to more "You know what this is don't you. Bonebending. I can crush you right now, if you don't answer my question." He watched her face change for cool indifference to cold fury and rage. He did not doubt that she would crush in him in an instant. "Why do you, and this group want me died." She waited, but he didn't answer. "Tell me!" If the last people still in the market had been listening they would have heard her shouting.

"You wear our princess, you were meant to restore the greatness of the fire nation. Instead you married the avatar, and are going to help him bring back the Air nomads. That will further diminish our power. You have to die, so we can reclaim our glory."

His eyes widen as he rushed out the words. Words clearly had been drilled into him, practice for a moment like this one. While still keeping her hand lifted, Toph took a step back as the words hit her.

"We got rid of your rebellion years ago" This sounded more like a question that a statement. She straitened her hand in front of her, pushing the man to the wall behind him "You are like rats, you always come crawling back." She had the dagger, at his throat again, she was so close to driving it in. she just wanted to hurt him. "How many of you are there."

"Thousands." An evil smile crossed his face.

"You're lying." pushing the dagger further onto his throat she was no drawing blood. "The truth."

"Eight of us."

Toph lost all control, as she almost fell to the floor laughing. Her laughter filled them room, and scared the man more than her makeshift dagger o bending. Suddenly her mood changed again. "Get out!" She throw him to door, with one move of her hand. "Don't ever let me see you again." He scurried out of the room, like the rat he was.

Once he was gone, Toph let the dagger fall to the ground. She kept laughing, as she fell back against the wall. She had enjoyed this meeting, it made her feel alive, it was a rush. It had been so long since she had felt that. Her breath was hard to catch through the laughter. Tis brought on small bout of coughing. Soon the laughter turned to tears.

She hated herself for feeling any joy at this monument . It also dawned on her all of a sudden, that her unborn child had been in danger too. A fact that only hit her now after the event. Her child might be hated too, their life would constantly be at risk. She could deal with that for herself, but not for an innocent child, her child, hers and Aang's. How could it have taken her so long to realise that. She slowly slid down the wall onto the floor.

She didn't know how along she stayed in that room, but the market was completely empty when she returned to the street. Her eyes bloodshot. They defiantly would have noticed her absence now.

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**As always thank you for reading. I hope that you liked it. I would love to hear what you think, good or bad. Also this is the part of the story were I found it hard to really explain things in the way that I wanted when writing it the first time. So if anything doesn't make sense than please let me know. **

**Once again I am sorry that this chapter was a little shorter than normally. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello thank you for reading. Once again sorry that it has taken me so long to up-date. My computer broke down again, so I had it sent in to get it fixed. It was fine for about a three weeks, then it broke down again so I have had to get a new one. This will be the penultimate chapter in this part of the story. I have added two chapters together, so it will be a bit longer than the last few chapters. I plan to have the last chapter up by Saturday, then to move onto the next part of the story**

Aang had chosen to give Toph her space. Knowing it was the best thing to do, I the long run. He learned a long time ago how stubborn she was, and when she got into one of those moods it was best to leave her. Not to mention safer. However this was different, they were married now, and she was pregnant with their first child, he couldn't just leave it this time. They had to talk about things, not keep things bottled up. She had taught him well, too well, he could be just as stubborn as her.

He knew where he would find her. She would have breakfast with everyone then keep to herself till dinner. It didn't take him long to find out where she went. Three years after the war she and Zuko had been engaged, it had been a political idea to keep the balance. In that time she had spent a lot of in the fire nation, she had grown a cherry blossom tree in the garden, to make herself feel more at home.

As he walked towards her cherry blossom tree, with her underneath it, he was reminded of the time just after the war. He had gone looking for her and found her sitting under a cherry blossom tree in the garden of the earth kings palace. He had never seen her look so fragile, now he saw her in the same way. It was one of the things he loved most about her, she was a contradiction. How could something so small, have so much power and strength.

Before he could say anything she spoke, she had known he was going to come before he realised it himself. That was something he could live without, her reading him like book. "I got a letter today...from my father."

Aang didn't know what to say. Toph had never made any mention of her father since they were first married over two years ago.

"Our secret is out, he knows. So he wrote to warn me." As she finished speaking she got to her feet. If Aang looked at her face, he would have seen a look of pleading in her eyes. She needed him to say, or do something. She didn't know what it was she wanted from him, but she knew she needed something.

"What is he warning you about." Now he looked at her face, he saw her eyes water, but not shed any tears.

Toph felt the hope that she had, that Aang would be able to know what she needed, and help disappear. "A family secret." A slight laugh left her mouth. "Did you ever notice that, the only biological family I have left is my father, and three cousins." She scoffed a little under her breath. "That is because my father's family has a history of a heart condition, it weakness the heart, so it can't cope with any strain or stress."

Aang placed his hands on her shoulders "It might not have any..." Toph lifted her up, and pushed them to the side, taking Aang's hands off her.

"No it might not, but with my mother and now this I don't..." Toph was no silenced as Aang pulled her into a hug, her arms were up, when he did this, so her hands where now placed on his chest. Trapped between there cheats, rise and falling with every breath. She also felt his heartbeat so clear through her fingertips.

"You are strong." Toph felt the tears build up, but she refused to cry, she would never let herself cry again. He didn't understand, he was meant to understand her, see her and now when she needed him to the most he didn't.

The avatar was pushed back, with so much force, he nearly fell over. "You don't understand." She quickly walked passed him, starting to walk back towards the palace.

He ran after her the second he regained his balance. Being just as able to get hold of her hand, and turn her round to face him. "Toph..."

"It is in your best interest to stay away from me now. At least arm swing distance away." She pulled her hand out of her husband's hand with more force than she expected.

Aang took one more step towards, his pregnant wife. "Toph."

"Arm swing distance!" It felt like a bit of a release to yell like that.

Her heart was racing, as Toph stood there in-front of her very confused husband. Once her breath was under control again she turned and walked away. Aang was at a loss. He didn't know what to do for the best, go after her, or leave her. He did what he now felt he should have done in the first place, leave her along, for now.

That night they slept with their backs turned to each other, as they hadn't spoken since the conversation in the garden. The normal size bed felt like it had a golf between then, the size of the entire earth Kingdome. He felt her shivering a little in the night. He wanted so badly to wrap his arm around her, but he didn't. Not till he was sure she was truly asleep. Even then he made sure he woke before her, and turned away from her again. So he knew nothing about his actions.

Toph and Aang still had not spoken by the time they all sat down to breakfast. They didn't say a word to each other during breakfast. Toph didn't even speak at all. Instead of going to the garden like she always did, Toph went back to her and Aang's room. Aang was going to want to talk to her again, before he did she needed to figure out what she wanted to do. He had to go to a meeting right after breakfast, so she had an hour or so. Placing a time frame just made it harder.

She felt him walking towards their room. She was still no closer to knowing what to do. Toph was never one to leave things up to fate, but this she didn't want to make the choice about, so she made a deal with herself. Placing her decision in the hands of Aang's actions.

"Toph, I think we need to talk." It was mid-day, but yet he whispering.

Turning to face her husband, for his comfort, Toph waited for him to say something else. What he said would make her choice for her, but he could not know that. "We do."

At the first sign, that she was willing to talk to him again, Aang moved to kneel in-front of her, as she sat on the window seat. He took her hands in his, as he started to talk. Not knowing how important what his words now where.

"I know you are worried, about." This was what she needed to hear, if he understood what was really worrying her, then maybe he could help. She was willing to try and have hope, if he could understand "Being a mother." She felt tears build up, but she wouldn't let them fall. "But you are going to be a..."

Toph got to her feet, so quickly Aang nearly feel over from his knelling position. "You really don't understand anything do you."

She lost her control, and the first tear fell. He didn't understand what was going on, what was scaring her so much. He probably never would. If she had shown any sign he understood even a little, then she would have thought they could get through it. Now she knew they couldn't, if the worst happened he wouldn't cope.

Aang had tried to be patient and understanding with Toph, but he had reached his limit. She was making no sense. Not talking to him, then when she did getting angry over something that he couldn't see how she thought it was his fault.

"Maybe I don't, I'm not as empathetic as the great Toph Bei Fong."

Aang was now standing facing his wife. His face taking the stern look he wasn't comfortable with. He may not have understood her now, but Aang knew just what to say to whined her up. Calling her by her full name was one sure way of doing just that. For bring up her full name, a name she had been disowned from that connected her to her father, the avatar was rewarded with a slap across the face.

"Don't ever call me that, ever!" The last work was spoken through gritted teeth. She wanted so badly to run, to get away from him but she couldn't move.

It was now Aang's turn to feel tears build up. He saw the tears fall down his wife's face, and all he wanted to do was wipe them away. Even if he did it would not wipe away the pain she was clearly feeling right now. So instead he pulled her quickly into a hug. She didn't try and push him away, her hands just hung by her side. Aang was too afraid to let her go, so he continued to hold her as tight to him as he could. After a few minutes. Toph mover her hands up to rest on Aang's shoulders.

After letting out a sigh, she gentle pushed him back "I'm sorry, but I can't do this."

A million thoughts suddenly went through the young avatars head, he didn't know what she was talking about. There could be so many possibility's, to many for him to make sense of right now. It wasn't till Toph had guided him to sit on the window seat next to her, that he was able to say something.

"Toph, what is going on. Please tell me."

He sounded so scared, Toph felt her heart break. He was trying so hard to reach out to her, he was holding onto her hand, so he didn't lose her. She was scared he already had. Even thou her jade eyes didn't see him, she still was able to keep them for making any contact with his.

"I have this feeling, I have had it for a while now that something bad is going to happen. I felt the same way when we were all at the ember Islands." She could feel he was about to say something, so she kept talking. "I am going to end up like my mother, I know it. My body isn't strong enough to have this baby. I don't what my child to grow up the way I did, so when the baby is born, I what to give it away to a family." She stared to rush her world as she went on. Wanting to get the words out as quickly as possible.

She had only told him part of her reasons for making this decision. She waited for him to yell at her, but he didn't. "You are the strongest person I know." His voice sounded so hurt, but he kept it steady. She had to make him understand, even if he hated her for it.

Toph moved to kneel in-front of her husband, reversing the positions they had been in earlier "I may not be strong enough for this, or the baby might not. I know in my heart one of us..." The tears fell again, as she spoke. Normally she would have hated that, but right now she didn't care.

Before she could say anything more Aang grabbed her by the shoulders, and pulled her to her feet with him. "If that happens, why do you what me to lose both of you." His voice was now so full of angry, Toph was a little frightened of him.

All she knew to do, act in a situation like this was give as good as she got. Instinct took over and she snapped back. "Do you what our child to grow up like I did, or worse. Like our friends."

He let go of her. "Of course not. I don't want them to grow up like I did either. Not knowing anything about your parents."

She would hate herself for this, he had very good point, but she needed him to see it from her point of view. "This child is going to be the first child born to an avatar, ever. There are people out there who still hate you, and me for marrying you. They are going to hate our child too. There is going to be so much pressure for them to be an airbender. They will never have a normal life." Her tone had remained calm and level, while on the inside she was breaking in two.

"So you want to give our child to strangers." He too was doing the same as her, showing no outer sigh that he was falling apart.

"Not strangers. If it's an earthbender, then Sokka and Suki can raise it..."

"What if they are an airbender." Aang's Tone showed no emotion.

Toph was caught off guard "Yunru would love a younger sibling to teach all you taught him. If they can't bend, Zuko and Katara."

Aang was trying to make sense of all of this. His wife had been planning to give their baby away, she was also convinced that she wasn't going to survive the birth. He didn't know which he was more scared off. A part of him hated Toph, and the other wanted to take her in his arms tell her it was going to be ok, but she would know he was only lying. How could she have been going through all of this, and he hadn't known, not really.

"You will still be in their life, not matter what….as an uncle, a teacher."

He looked in to her jade eyes, he had never seen them like this before. They were dead, and begging him for something he just couldn't give her, understanding. He reached out to her face, he saw her flinch for a second, before he touched her check to wipe away her tears.

"I'm sorry Toph, but I am not going to let you do this. You and the baby are..."

She slapped his hand away. "No we're not. I know it."

"You are just scared to be a mother, because you are going to be just like your father."

He crossed the line, and there was no going back. He saw her fight back the tears, as she turned to leave the room. He crossed the line, so he couldn't make it any worse, so why hold back anymore. "You can't stop me from being a father to my child."

At the door Toph stopped. "You can't force me to be a mother."

There was nothing left to say, for now. They both needed time to think. For Toph that meant she needed to get away for here, from Aang. She would go to Ba Sing Sa. She didn't bother to pack, she made for the port, to get a ship out of the fire nation. On her way out of the palace she meet Zuko on his way back from a meeting. She asked him to keep Aang from following her. He agreed, but she knew that he would only do that till she got on the ship. Then she was on her own.

A few hours later Toph was facing the sunset from the deck of the ship that would take her back to the earth kingdom. At the same time miles away Aang looked at the sunset from under Toph's tree in the garden.

**Thank you for reading. I hope that you like it. This is the part in the story that I start to worry about. If I don't explain it clearly, make it make sense than it just doesn't work, and ruins the story. Hope that what I have added has made it better, make more sense. I would love to know what you think. Thank you. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you for reading. I hope that you liked it. **

Zuko would keep his promise to Toph, he watched and made sure Aang didn't realise she was gone till her ship left. Once he had given her, her head start he went to tell Aang she had gone. He didn't like the situation at all. He understood why she was doing what she was, but he didn't agree with her running off like this. It was so unlike her. A clear sign that something was very wrong.

The fire lord walked slowly towards the Avatar, who still sat under his wife's tree "She's gone."

He expected a bigger reaction, any reaction from the younger man, but all he did was sit there, holding a cherry blossom in his hand. "Get up." Zuko kicked his friend in the leg, for his own good, and a little for himself. "Go after her."

Aang slowly pulled himself off the grass, and stood facing his friend. "It's just going to make it worse if I go after her." Zuko had never heard his friend sound so defeated. "You know what she's like."

Zuko wanted to punch him now, but he held himself back. He would leave the punching to Toph. There was some true, a lot in-fact to what he said. It was still the only think that he could see that Aang could do right now. "Maybe, but she is still your wife, she is having your baby, she needs you now."

Aang now felt his anger at Toph, the whole situation take over him finally. "You have no idea!" he look Zuko right in the eye. Speaking in a lower voice after yelling. "You don't understand what is going on..."

"I understand that she lost her mother before she ever got to know her. I understand she is so scared that she is anything like her father. I understand what some morons think about her, what they would think..."

"Shut up!" Aang felt the hate he had for Toph disappear, it now turned to hate for himself. Zuko understood her, what was worrying her, what she felt better than he did. He was meant to be her husband, and he had to be told by some other guy what she was feeling. She didn't deserve that, not when she clearly needed help and understanding.

"Just go." With that Zuko left Aang alone. Not before he patted him on the shoulder first.

Aang clenched his fists, as he looked at the setting sun. He noticed the cherry blossom he still had in his hand. He remembered the cherry blossom he had put into a letter he left for Toph, the letter had asked her to understand. She had tried, even if in the end she still didn't understand, she had tried. He had to at least try to so the same now.

He pushed Appa more than he had in a very long time. He wanted to get to Ba Sing Sa as fast as he possibly could. He just wanted to see her, he hoped once he did everything would fit into place. That was a very unrealistic idea he knew. At the very least being with her meant that they could talk and move forward from this. It took him almost three days to get to the large city. Once he saw it in the distance he felt suddenly nervous. He had been so focused on getting to her, that he hadn't that what would happen when he finally reached her.

The earth king had had a small house built for the earth kingdom ambassador, and her husband. It was just on the outer wall of the palace, joined to the palace by the garden. Aang made it to his house as the sun was rising on eth morning of the fourth day since he last saw his wife. He ran to the bedroom, imaging his wife sleeping in their bed. He pushed the door open, but the room was empty. The bed was un-slept in, she wasn't here.

Zuko hadn't told him where Toph had gone too, he just felt she would come here. She still hated being here for too long. It had made sense to him, if she was trying to get away from him, she would go somewhere he would have thought she would avoid. Now fear that he was wrong, that he really didn't know her as well as he thought crept over him.

He sank onto the bed. Maybe he didn't know her at all. Maybe he never had. What was he going to do now, Appa needed to rest before he could travel anywhere else, but where would he go next. He tried to answer that question, but he couldn't shack the feeling that she was close. She could have gone to her earthbending academy. Maybe even Omashu, where she had told him she was pregnant. Where this all started.

Then it hit him. She knew he would come here, and the first place he would go to was their house, so she would stay in the palace.

It was very essay for Aang to get in to see the earth king. Even when he came rushing in. He would have tried to avoid him normally, but the palace was so large, it would take him to long to find Toph. His race looked a little flushed as he pushed through the large doors to the throne room.

"Avatar Aang, I wasn't expecting you." The earth king was always a little nervous around Aang. That was nothing compared to how scared he got around Toph.

"I've come to see my wife, I know she is here." All the strength Aang had went into making his voice should as strong as he could.

"You mean general Be Fong." It was clear the king was staling, Aang knew he wouldn't last long so he would play along. Walking slowly towards him.

"Actually its general Toph, it has been since we were married, and her family disowned her."

The underlining anger that was clear in the avatars voice broke the resolve of the earth king. "She has asked, that if you come...you are... not to be allowed to see her."

Aang lost his thin grasp on his composure. "She is having my child. You are..."

"Are you just going to tell everyone!"

Her voice rang around his head as he slowly turned to face her. Her voice had been so calm controlled, but when he looked at her he saw that she was fighting just as hard as he had been to maintain that control.

"Toph I. We..."

"There is no point. You are just going to say the same things, you have said a hundred times before. You should just go."

Just as quickly and as silently as she had arrived she was gone. He moved to run after her. He was blocked at the door by two guards. They blocked his path with two crossed axes on long poles. He could have fought his way through, but he didn't want to turn this into a fight.

"I wish to return to my house, let me past." Aang was just as uncomfortable with using his titles, and station over people as Toph was, but he saw no other way.

After a few minutes, to make sure he had calmed down he was allowed to leave. He could feel himself being watched as he walked towards the door. Making sure he was head here he said he was going. He looked along a corridor, with eyes on him. At the end of the corridor, which opened out onto the gardens of the palace, he quickly turned right instead of left as he was meant too. This way lead round the palace to the west wing where the guest rooms that had to be where she was.

It was more difficult than he had expected to get past the guards that patrolled the palace grounds at all hours of the day. When he found what he was looking for, her window, he used a trick he had seen her use before. He ran up the wall, it was more difficult than he had expected, you had to focus completely on the earth under your feet. After a few steps he was comfortable running up the wall. He knew it was her window, as it was the only one that was open. She always had the windows open, no matter how cold it was. It was her way of lessening the feeling of being boxed in.

Toph was sitting on the bed, with her back to the window. She was clinging to the sheets so tightly, to try and stop the tears from falling, it wasn't working. The second he came in throw the window, she spun round to face him. "What are you..."

"You are too good for me, I don't deserve you." She looked at him as if he was speaking a different language "You what me to say something different. So that is what I am doing."

Aang started to make his way towards Toph "I saw you in the swamp, and you where this beautiful thing that I couldn't reach. Then I meet you, and saw that you are the strongest bender I have ever known. The more I got to know you, the more I saw how amazing you are. I never let myself think about you as anything other than a friend, because you are too good for me. Until I couldn't control myself anymore. I took a risk."

They were now facing each other, Aang was surprised she let him get this close. "You are saying, that you the Avatar, felt you aren't good enough for a blind earthbender."

"No. I Aang feel that you Toph are too good for me."

"That is sweet, but it doesn't change anything."

Aang took a risk, he reached out and took hold of her hand. "Zuko understood. He knew what was worrying you, I should have, but I didn't. I am trying."

She felt a small faint smile cross her face, she knew he was trying "Aang..."

"I am not saying we have to decide what we are going to do now, can't we just enjoy it, and deal with it as comes." This was so like him, just going with the flow, not really thinking ahead.

She couldn't answer, he was being so reasonable, and understanding, at least he was trying to be. She found herself nodding, then being pulled into a hug. Aang wrapped his arms around Toph's waist, he had a faint smile of relief across his face. Toph pleased her arms around Aang's shoulders, she tried to smile, but she could only manage a slight curl of the corners of her lips.

Toph and Aang stayed in Ba Sing Sa, for a few days. They made small talk, avoiding anything serious, as to avoid another fight. The fragile understanding they had wouldn't last long they knew, but they wanted to make it last as long as possible. The first real conversation they had was the day before. Where planning to leave. They talked about where they were going to go next. Toph couldn't stay in the city of walls any longer, without going crazy. Aang knew of a small town, that was the farthest southern point in the earth kingdom. It was mostly isolated, the perfect place to go when you wanted to be left alone.

Aang was just finishing packing the food they were taking with them on to Appa's saddle, when Toph appeared at the door of the stable.

"I think, the earth king wants to get rid of us." Toph had just been to inform the earth king they were leaving, and from her point of view he was very short with her.

"I'm sure he wasn't trying to get rid of us." As he spoke Aang lead Appa out of the stable, Toph moved to learn against the outside wall to let them pass.

Once he was outside, Aang got a look at Toph. She seemed to be paler than normal, and her normally graceful movements were much more relaxed, she seemed to move as little as possible. He had never seen her like this, without a reason for it. He was sure she must have been sick before, but he had never seen her sick. Lowering his gaze a little he noticed that there was still no visible sign of her condition. Her stomach was as flat as ever. "Are you felling ok." he walked over to her, and placed his hand on her forehead, pushing back her hair. He really wasn't sure if she was hot or not, he just knew that this was what people did to see if someone was sick.

Toph could feel Aang's confusion, in his heart beat "No, but I am meant to feel like this. Don't worry."

Aang's confusion now turned to embarrassment "Is there anything I can do."

"No. There is this plant in the garden here that is meant to be good for this, blended with tea. I'm going to get some, while you get Appa ready."

Toph wished she had been told about this, instead of having to find out on her own. When she had been in the fire nation, she had asked Katara to tell her everything. To be really honest with her. All she had told her was that she really couldn't remember, and it was all with it in the end. That was not much help for her.

She had felt like this before, but it had always worn off by now. Something wasn't right, she knew it. She always had. As she walked across the grass to the plant she was looking for, she felt the earth beneath here start to spin. Everything started to become really fuzzy. She couldn't feel anything, till a sharp pain in her stomach, like she was being cut in half hit her. Letting out a faint groan of pain, she felt someone coming towards her. That was the last thing she remembered. The pain was too much and her mind want blank.

Toph had been gone for a while, so Aang decided to go after her. He took his time; he didn't what her to think he was checking up on her. He kept his distance, as he saw her walk across the grass lawn. More than half way across, she started to lose her balance. She took two more steps before she stopped. It was faint but he hear her painful sound so clearly. Before he knew what he was doing, his feet cared him towards Toph as fast as they could. Just before he reached her, she fell to the ground. His arms wrapped around her before she hit the ground.

"Toph... Toph... wake up." He held her tightly in his arms. She looked so pale, completely drained.

When she did not respond, he lifted her up and carded her towards the palace. The king had healers, they would help her. They had to. The only thing the avatar was focusing on was his wife's heartbeat, as he walked through the gardens. If she could at least keep her heart beating, then she would get better. She had to.

Aang was forced to wait outside, as the healers worked on Toph. He sat in a chair by the door, he wanted to get up, and more, but his body wouldn't move. He just sat there as frozen as ice.

After what seemed an eternity the three healers left the room. The first two made their way down the corridor, avoiding making eye contact with Aang, or even looking in his direction. The last turned to him. He stood in from of him, not speaking till Aang got to his feet. He didn't look him in the eye either.

"She is going to be fine, with some rest." Aang felt like all the air left his body, as he heard this. She was going to be fine. "However." With that one word, the world fell out from under him. "She lost the baby. It was nothing that could have been prevented; her internal injuries from the stab wound haven't fully healed. She was very lucky; it could have killed her, if the pregnancy went on much longer."

Aang didn't hear anything after the word lost. All he could think was she was right, she had been right about the whole thing, and he hadn't listened. He wouldn't let himself think about what they had lost, he tried to focus of what he could have lost Toph.

When he allowed himself to take in the world around him, he found he was standing in a small room, with a large window. The tiny figure of his unconscious wife lay in a bed by the wall. The healer must have guide him in, and left them alone. The young avatar made his way slowly towards the bed. When he reached it he took hold of Toph's small hand. The second he did he felt tears build up, he couldn't let them fall. He had to be strong, even if she could see him know. She would still know.

She was going to blame herself for this, and he had to let her know that she did nothing wrong. She would be the one to move on, dealing with what was going on in the present, not what had happened in the past. From the minute she came into their family, she had taken up the position, of the strong one. The one that keep them focused on what they had to do. She would do the same thing now, she would be strong, so he could fall apart.

This time though he would be the strong one for her. He moved to lie on the bed by her; he lay with his head just above hers, so she could rest her head on his shoulder. He still held onto her hand. He would stay with her, like this till she woke up.

**Thank you for reading; this is the last chapter of this part of the story. I know it has a real downer ending, but there is a reason for that, that will be clear in the next part of the story. So people don't stop reading I can say that things will get better. If you want it to, then the whole story will have a happy ending.**

**Please review, I really want to know what you think about how the story as a whole is going. Any comments are appreciated even negative, how else am I going to get better.**


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